Method of and apparatus for treating fluid material.



C. HERING. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FLUID MATERIAL.

I Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, I912.

FIG. 3

14M BY &

WITNESSES I A TTORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENCILOFFIOE.

CARL HERINGL OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FLUID MATERIAL.

. Application filed December 7, 1912. Serial No. 735,377.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL HERING, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Treating Fluid Material, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for simultaneously heating and stirring liquids or fluids, as for example molten metal by means of electrical energy,

A chief feature of my invention resides 1n an electric furnace in which electric heating and stirring means are separate and dis-- .tinct from the furnace hearth or crucible containing the bath, whereby the electric heating and stirring means may be removed from the bath or separated from it, and may be brought into operative relation with baths in separate containers, in succession.

In another of its aspects, my invention resides in a method' of and apparatus for preventing or greatly reducing the extent of piping in steel or other freshly cast ingots. And my invention has numerous other applications as for example the avoidance of openings through the walls of the container below the liquid level for the electrodes; the maintenance of a bath at a predetermined and substantially constant temperature as for tempering; or for bath purifying, or any other purposes in which heat .5 ing and stirring of liquids in independent containers are desired.

My invention resides in the method and apparatus hereinafter described and claimed. For an illustration of one of many forms 0 of apparatus embodying my invention and utilizable for carrying out my method, refernce is to be had, to the accompanying drawing, in which? Figure 1 is a vertical cross section, some 5 parts in elevation, through the heating and stirring means which are independent and separate from the container which holds the fluid material to be treated. Fig. 2 is a ver+ tical section, some parts in elevation, taken a at right angles to the section of Fig. 1.

- Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections through modified forms of heater blocks. Figs. 6 and 7 are elevational views of other modifications on heater blocks. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View, some parts in eleva- Specification ot Letters Patent.

shown within a Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

tion, of a modification of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the fluid, liquid or molten metal M to be operated upon is container 1 which may be an ingot mold, aladle or pot, or any other suitable containersuch as a crucible, hearth, or the walls of a furnace. Floating upon or thrust into the material M is a block B of refractory insulating material such as baked fire clay. or other similar suitable material. In the block B are formed the resistor holes or channels R opening at the bottom of the block into the mass of material M. When .the leads L form the terminals of or extensions from the secondary Winding of a transformer T whose primary winding is con nected, as through flexible conductors, with a suitable source of alternating current. Or a source of direct current may be used equally well. The block B may beseparate and distinct from the electrodes E which are inserted into the cavities 0 whenever the apparatus is to be brought into operation. The transformer T may beplacedvupon a truck at having wheels or rollers 7' adapted to roll upon or be secured in any position upon the platform p which may be pivoted at g. The transformer T may be brought into the desired position upon the platform ;0 which may then be moved on its pivot g from the position indicated by dotted lines to the position indicated in full lines, bringing the electrodes E into the cavities o in block B; 'or in the case where the block B is secured to the electrodes E the block may be brought into operative relation with the material M by the same movement of the platform 1). Or the transformer T, electrodes E, and block B, in the case wherethe latter is permanently secured to the electrodes E, moved about by crane or other for moving the apparatus from place to place and bringing it into operative relation with the upper parts of any one of a number of masses of material M in difierent containers 1. -When so brought into operative relation as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the current passes through the electrodes E, the resistors R and the bath M. The resistor holes or channels are proportioned as described in my prior Patent No. 988936. That is to say the'square of the current passed through the material inthe channel or hole- R is great with respect to the cross section of such hole or channel with the result that the pinch effect occurs. This causes the molten material to be rapidly ejected from the central part of the hole with considerable force and cooler metal to be sucked into the hole along its outer periphery; in this way the heated liquid in the container becomes thoroughly stirred. And the current heats the material M within the hole or channel R quickly to a very high temperature; indeed the heat may be set free more rapidly than possible in other molten resistors because this continuous influx and efliux of molten material into and out of the hole or channel R due to this pinch effect carries away bodily in .the moving molten material any excessive heat generated by the current; and the pinch effect producing such motion prevents the temperature rising to so high apoint as to cause volatilization of the material with consequent blowing out of the material from the channel or hole R whereby the circuit would be broken. The pinch effect in thus carrying away the excessive heated material ,preven ts the refractory material whose wall forms the hole or channel, from attaining such a temperature as would melt it or deform it and: so harmfully change the hole or channel. Indeed by this method and apparatus, described in said prior Letters Patent, much higher current densities may be employed than would'produce rupture by the pinch effect in the same cross section of the same material disposed in a horizontal channel open at the top; and the length of the hole or channel is so short that the flow produced by this pinch .efi'ect resulting from the use of such current density can carry the heated material entirely out of the channel or hole 'in a time short enough to prevent the material attaining such a temperature as would cause volatilization of it or deformation of the lining. It will be understood, therefore, that by the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper portion of the mass M in container 1 is automatically stirred by the pinch efiect and is also receiving heat produced by the current.

In the case where the container 1 is a pot or ladle containing for example, molten lead, the Whole mass is maintained at any desired temperature as may be necessary for tempering or any other purpose. And the arrangement shown has the advantage that the electrodes need not be introduced through holes in the bottom or in the walls 1 of the pot or ladle to deliver heating current to the bath, any form .of pot or ladle serving the purpose when using this apparatus, and the great difficulty of sealing such holes for the electrodes, is therefore completely avoided; very hot lead will flow through extremely-minute cracks or pores. Furthermore by this arrangement the power factor may be maintained higher than in the case where electrodes are" introduced through the walls 1 of an iron pot or ladle, because, as is well known, such iron embraced within the area inclosed by the alternating current circuit including the electrodes, increases the inductance of the circuit and therefore reduces the power' factor. Furthermore, assume the container 1 to be an ingot mold, and the material M to be freshly poured or cast metal, such as steel, and that solidification is allowed to begin to take place; due to the addition of heat and the stirring produced by the resistor channels R, the solidification will take place chiefly from the bottom toward the top until finally only a very small layer of metal at the top is still molten and receiving heat and being stirred. When the core has become frozen to near this upper layer, and when the low .block B of a size to substantially completely fill the upper orifice of the container 1 loss of heat by radiation from the top surface of the molten material is greatly reduced.

Furthermore the container 1 may be a ladle or forehearth containing molten metal which it may be desired to heat or stir by such a heating device which can be plunged into the top of the liquid.

In Fig. 3.the resistor hole or channel R is shown extending out horizontally through the side of the block instead of vertically through the bottom as in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 a plurality of resistor holes or channels R are shown extending in an inclined direction.

In Fig. 5 are shown two resistor holes or channels for each electrode cavity a, and the two middle channels are shown inclined with respect to each other whereby a force is pro 7 cause a preponderance of the flow'of the material to be in the directions indicated by the arrows. In such case the pinch efi'ect acts in conjunction with this force as described in my prior Patent No. 1,105,656.

In Fig. 6 two channels are shown for each electrode cavity 0, the channels of each pair having openings into the bath at difi'erent heights. In this case the material M will be sucked in through the upper orifices and discharged through the lower orificesas indicated by the arrows.

In Fig. 7 the arrangement is similar to that in Fig. 6 except that the liquid is sucked in through the lower orifices and discharged through the upper orifices as indicated by the arrows.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided means for heating and stirring the bath which are separate and distinct from the bath and its container; that is, I place the heating and stirring means into the liquid, instead of placing the liquid or fluid into a furnace of which the heating and stirring means are an integral part. The principal or essential' element of the furnace is therefore independent of or separate from the crucible or hearth containing the molt or fused liquid or fluid and can be insert d into any suitable bath. In this way I may use an electric furnace to keep the top layers of metal or fluid molten and automatically stirredk And, as described in connection with the cooling of ingots, not only is the piping prevented or greatly reduced but the segregated metals and impurities, instead of lodging and freezing at substantially the middle of the ingot as in prior practice, will collect in the topmost part of the metal which now cools or solidifies last, and these segregated metals and impurities may be drawn off from the top of the mass M while hot, or cut off after he understood also that the block B may be provided with only one electrode cavity 0, the other circuit terminal contacting with the mass M as shown in Fig. 8. Or there may be a separate block for each electrode. And it is to be understood also that my invention is applicable to the use of three phase currents in which case there will be three or more electrodes, as well understood in the art, each electrode feeding current through one or more resistor channels; and that two phase currents may also be employed. The use of polyphase currents is illustrated in my prior Patent N 0. 1,105,656. The resistor holes or channels R need not be circular in section. And instead of being of the same cross section from end to end the channel or hole B may vary in cross section, as by being slightly conical, as illustrated in my prior Patent No. 1,105,656. And the fluid ejecting force may be inthe. electrode E solidification. It is to creased by an auxiliary magnetic field, as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,105,656. And a second liquid or fluid, for example fused barium chlorid, may be heated by placing it on the top of molten metal, as iron or lead, or in a crucible surrounded by the liquid or fluid which is heated, such heatin of a crucible being shown in my prior Fatent No. 1,105,656. Obviously also the electrodes may be water cooled as well understood in the art. And it is to be further understood thatthe block B may be pre-heated before insertion into the mass M. And it is to be understood further that the electrodes E may be connected through fiexible conductors to the terminals of the source of current, as shown in Fig. 8. In such a case the transformer T may be stationary and the electrodes moved about to suitable position for insertion into the cavities 0, or the electrodes and the block B as a unit may be so moved about with respect to the source of current.

In Fig. 8 the block B and the electrode are shown attached to each other and movable together as a unit. For this purpose and the lead L may be molded within the refractory material B. The electrical connections to the source of current, as the transformer, may be made of flexible conductors F being shown in this instance. as connected to the metallic mold l for forming an electrical connection with the molten mass.

As indicated by the line S, Fig. 1, the block B may be divided into two blocks, one for each electrode.

What I claim is:

l. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten material, which consists in forming a part of said molten material into a resistor, passing a current through said resistor, and communicating heat developed in of molten material.

2. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten material, which consists in forming a part of said molten material into a resistor near the top of said mass of molten material, passing current through said resistor, and communicating heat developed in said resistor to said mass of molten material.

3. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten material, which consists in forming a part of said molzen material into a resistor near the top of said mass of molten material, and passing through said resistor a current the square of whose magnitude is great with respect to the cross section of said resistor, whereby the pinch effect is produced to automatically stir said molten material.

4. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten material, which said resistor to said mass and F, the latter I consists in forming a part of the upper portion of said mass into a resistor, passing a current through said resistor, said current being of a magnitude to produce in said resistor the pinch effect, whereby there is delivered into said mass of molten material heated resistor material for heating the upper portion of said mass.

5. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten material, which consists in passing an electric current in a restricted part of said molten material in the upper portion thereof, said current heating and automatically stirring the upper portion of said mass of molten material.

6. The method of producing an ingot, which consists-in confining a mass of molten material to substantially the size and shape of the desired ingot, allowing said mass of molten material to cool, and while cooling passing a current through a restricted part of said molten material in the upper portion thereof to heat and automatically stir the upper portion of said molten material.

7. The method of reducing piping in an ingot, which consists in allowing the molten ingot material to progressively cool toward one end thereof, and passing through a restricted portion of the inolten material at said end thereof a current to heat and automatically stir said molten material at said end. 1

8. The method of reducing piping in an ingot, which consists in allowing the molten ingot material to cool, and while cooling heating and automatically stirring a portion of said molten material by electric current.

9.v The method of reducing piping in an ingot, which consists in allowing the molten ingot material to cool, and while cooling locally heating and automatically stirring a portion of said molten material by electric current, whereby said heated and stirred portion is the last to cool.

10. The method of reducing piping in ingots, which consists in passing a current through a restricted part of molten ingot material at the top portion thereof, said current heatmg and producing the pinch effect in said restricted part of said molten material. v

11. The method of reducing piping in ingots, which consists in forming a portion of the top part of the molten ingot material into a resistor, and passing through said re-. sistor a current to produce the pinch effect therein.

12. The method of reducing piping in ingots, which consists in forming a part of the molten ingot material at the top thereof into resistors inclined with respect to each other,

and passing current through said resistors to produce automatic stirring of said molten material.

13. The combination with a container havfractory material-adapted to be inserted into said molten material, a resistor channel in said block, and an electrode cooperating with said, channel.

14. The combination with a container and fluid material therein, of a block of refractory material inserted in said fluid material and independent of said container, a resistor channel in said block adapted to be filled with said fluid material, and an electrode communicating with said fluid material at one end of said channel.

15. In electric heating apparatus, an in dependently movable block of refractory material having therein a resistor channel.

16. In electric heating apparatus, an independent] y movable block of refractory material having an electrode cavity and a resistor channel communicating with said cavity.

17. In electric heating apparatus, an independently movable electrode, and a cooperating independently movable block of refractory material having a resistor channel.

- 18. In electric heating apparatus, a block I of refractory material and an electrode movable independently of the furnace hearth, said block having a resistor channel communicating with said electrode.

19. An electric heating device for liquids comprising a member having a resistor channel adapted to be inserted in a liquid tofill said channel therewith.

20. An electric heating device 'fbr liquids comprising a member having a resistor channel adapted to be' inserted in a liquid to fill said channel therewith, and an electrode in operative relation with said channel.

21. An electric'heating device for liquids comprising a block of refractory material independent of and separable from the liquid container, a resistor channel in said block, and an electrode in operative relation to said resistor channel.

22. The combination with an electric heating device comprising a member having a resistor channel, of means for inserting said member into liquid, whereby the liquid fills said channel to form a resistor.

23. The combination with a mass of liquid, of a member having a resistor channel therein and disposed above said liquid, said liquid filling said channel to form a resistor.

24. The combination with amass of liquid, of a member movable with respect to said liquid above the same and projecting into said liquid, said member having a channel filled with said liquid to form a resistor.

25. A stirring device for liquid, comprising a member movable with respect to the in current through the liquid in said channe to produce movement of said liquid.

26. The combination with a mass of molten conducting material, of an independent refractory member resting on said material, and a cooperating electrode communicating with said material.

27. The combination with a mass of molten conducting material, of an independent member partially submerged in said material at its surface and having a channel containing molten conducting material in electrical communication with said mass.

28. The combination with a mass of molten conducting material, of an independent member partially submerged in said material at its surface and having a channel containing molten conducting material in electrical communication with said mass, and an electrode in electrical communication with said material in said channel.

29. The combination with a mass of, mol

ten conducting material, of an independent refractory member floating thereon, said memberhaving a resistor channel into which said molten material rises.

30. The combination with a mass of molten conducting material, of an independent refractory member floating thereon, said member having a resistor channel into which said molten material rises, and an electrode contacting with said material in said channel.

31. The method of controlling solidification of molten conducting material, which consists in locally heating the upper portion thereof by dissipating electric energy within a restricted resistor portion thereof. b

32. The method of controlling solidification of molten conducting material, which consists in locally heating the upper portion thereof by dissipating electric energy within a resti'icted resistor portion thereof, and stirring said material.

33. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten conducting material, which consists in locally heating said material by dissipating electric energy within a restricted resistor portion thereof, the electrically produced heat being communicated to said mass at a rate lower than the rateof loss of heat by said mass.

34. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten conducting material, which consists in locally heating said material by dissipating electric energy within a restricted resistor portion thereof, the electrically produced heat being communicated to said mass at a rate lower than the rate of loss of heat by said mass, and stirring said material. I

35. The method of controlling solidification of a mass of molten conducting material, which consists in locally electrically heating said material within a resistor portion thereof, the electrically produced heat being communicated to said mass at a rate lower than the rate of loss of heat by said mass, and stirring said material by the action of said heating current.

36. The method of controlling solidification of molten conducting material, which consists in forming a resistor of said material in the upper portion thereof, passing current through said resistor to generate heat therein, and communicating the heat generated in said resistor to said mass at a rate lower than the rate of loss of heat by said mass.

37. The method of controllingsolidifica- .tion of molten conducting material, which consists in forming a reslstor of said material in the upper portion thereof, current through said resistor to generate heat therein, and communicating the heat generated in said resistor to said mass at a rate lower than the rate of loss of heat by said mass, said heating current passed through said resistor being of such magnitude with respect to the resistor section that the pinch eflect is produced, whereby the heated resistor material is injected into said mass.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

CARL HERING.

passing Witnesses:

ELEANOR T. MoGALL, NELLIE EVANS. 

